This is the website of Abulsme Noibatno Itramne (also known as Sam Minter). Posts here are rare these days. For current stuff, follow me on Mastodon

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Curmudgeon’s Corner: Pour My Brain

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner Sam and Ivan’s main topics are the Republican Civil War that is brewing, and various Trump administration mini-scandals from the last week. But they also spend some time on the solar eclipse, MacBook Pros, Powerball, the military transgender ban, if Trump will have a primary challenger in 2020, the recent Navy crashes, Trump’s Arizona speech, and more!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2017-08-24
Length this week – 2:12:05

  • (0:00:36-0:28:02) But First
    • Agenda
    • Sam and the Eclipse
    • Ode to Macbook Pro
    • Powerball
  • (0:28:46-1:01:15) Republican Civil War
    • McConnell article
    • Cracks in the wall
    • Obstruction of Congress
    • Approval ratings
    • Trump agenda
    • Congressional agenda
  • (1:02:58-1:35:57) Mini-Scandals
    • Carl Icahn
    • Ryan Zinke
    • Louise Linton
    • Steven Mnuchin
    • Secret Service
    • Ben Carson
  • (1:36:36-2:11:45) Lightning Round
    • Movie: The Jungle Book (1967)
    • Military Transgender Ban
    • 2020 primary challenge for Trump?
    • Navy Crashes
    • Trump’s Arizona speech
    • Unstable Trump

 

The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.

Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link)

Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link)

Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link)

Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Take it to the Bank

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner, Sam and Ivan talk healthcare (recorded before McCain killed it, oops), the Spicer to Scaramucci transition (recorded before Scaramucci’s New Yorker rant, oops again), the Trump vs Sessions battle, and Kushner’s testimony. But they also talk about the Charlie Gard case, data tethering, Ivan’s treating himself after getting a new job, some TV stuff, Sam’s wife’s run for office, and even more! Another big full show as usual!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2017-07-27
Length this week – 2:14:12

  • (0:02:15-0:31:26) But First
    • Agenda
    • Intro Length and Show Length
    • Tethering and HBO
    • Ivan’s new job
    • Ivan fails
    • Ivan glasses again
    • Ivan’s Treat
  • (0:33:08-0:57:12) Healthcare
    • McCain and the MTP
    • Sausage making
    • Republican no-win scenario
    • What comes next?
    • Skinny repeal
  • (1:01:31-1:40:43) Trump Administration
    • Spicer Out, Scaramucci In
    • Trump vs Sessions
    • Kushner Testimony
    • Who is cooperating?
    • Ongoing drama
    • Trump misdirection?
  • (1:41:28-2:13:50) Lightning Round
    • TV: Class (2016)
    • Charlie Gard
    • Trump and the Boy Scouts
    • Run Brandy Run

 

The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.

Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link)

Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link)

Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link)

Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Clear Thoughted

This week on Curmudgeon’s Corner: WAR! PIVOT! LIGHTNING! More specifically, Sam and Ivan talk about the situations in Syria, Afghanistan, and North Korea… then they move on to Donald Trump’s changing positions on a number of issues, and what that means for both his supporters and opponents. Rounding out the show, bits about the guy pulled off the United plane, Wikileaks, planespotting, a movie Sam watched, the congressional special elections, and even more!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

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Show Details:

Recorded 2017-04-15
Length this week – 2:06:12

  • (0:00:15-0:22:02) But First
    • Show Edits
    • Agenda
    • Ignored Topics
    • Reorgs and Layoffs
    • Movie: The Terminal (2004)
    • Planespotting
  • (0:22:40-0:59:46) WAR!
    • Legal Authority
    • Pictures of War Victims
    • Trump ignorance
    • Missing Volta?
    • North Korea Escalation
    • Spicer on Nazi Germany
    • What is a chemical weapon?
    • MOAB in Afghanistan
    • More on North Korea
  • (1:00:21-1:24:20) PIVOT!
    • List of Flip Flops
    • He is still Trump
    • Healthcare
    • Trump learning?
    • Difficulty Legislating
    • No agenda
    • Title origins
  • (1:26:02-2:05:53) LIGHTNING!
    • United troubles
    • Congressional special elections
    • Blackmailing Trump
    • CIA on Wikileaks
    • More ignored topics
    • Contact us

 

The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.

Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link)

Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link)

Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link)

Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Not talking about that

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner Sam and Ivan talk about the latest developments on Trump’s immigration policies, but after that, they do something they haven’t done in a while. Lightning rounds! And ones that include some non-political things too! They can’t avoid SOME additional political talk, but they also discuss wireless headphones, the new discovery of 7 potentially Earth-like planets, Cloudbleed, and more!

Click below to listen and subscribe!

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1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
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Show Details:

Recorded 2017-02-24
Length this week – 2:03:03

  • (0:01:30-0:09:17) But First
    • Shouting at customers
    • Agenda
  • (0:10:33-0:43:27) Immigration
    • New travel ban planning
    • Prioritization changes
    • Roundups and escalations
    • Role of laws and congress
    • Scared people
    • Only some countries matter
    • Relations with Mexico
  • (0:45:27-1:17:52) Lightning Round 1
    • Cab accident
    • Movie: Nightmare before Christmas (1993)
    • Movie: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
    • Flagged for abusing Trump
    • Wireless headphones
    • New Earth-like planets
    • Republican town halls
    • Obamacare
  • (1:18:56-) Lightning Round 2
    • Cloudbleed
    • Trump infosec
    • Trump polls
    • What might move polls?
    • Choices for Democrats
    • IC trying to bring down Trump?

 

The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.

Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link)

Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link)

Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link)

Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Brought to you by the Letter P

It is back to the normal grind on this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner with Sam and Ivan. As if there was anything else, they have to start out talking about the explosive “Trump Dossier” and everything surrounding that. Trump and hookers and bribery, oh my! With that out of the way, they talk about Trump’s press conference and the latest developments with the Congress and Obamacare as well.

Click below to listen and subscribe!

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1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
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Show Details:

Recorded 2017-01-13
Length this week – 1:42:52

  • (0:00:38-0:04:15) But First
    • UTC
    • Agenda
  • (0:05:19-0:49:14) The Dossier
    • Order of events
    • Allegations
    • Origin of doc
    • Confirmation?
    • Alex interruption
    • Believable?
    • Press reaction
    • Trump reaction
    • Contrast with Obama/Pence
    • Disagreements with cabinet
  • (0:50:30-1:13:05) Trump Press Conference
    • Was it a disaster?
    • Alex again
    • Trump changes the topic
    • The next election
    • Conflicts of interest
    • Things changing quickly
  • (1:13:41-1:42:32) Obamacare
    • ACA is actually Obamacare
    • What is congress doing now?
    • Possible consequences
    • Democratic response
    • Claim victory and go home?
    • Trump/Congress relationship

 

The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.

Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link)

Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link)

Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link)

Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Nice Snuffle

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner Sam and Ivan return to the normal non-election format. The three main topics are fake news, Trump’s conflicts of interest, and how to respond to Trump. They also talk a bit about MacBook Pros, iPads, Fidel Castro, Standing Rock, Syria, and even more! Join us as things start to settle into the new normal.

Click below to listen or subscribe… then let us know your own thoughts!

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1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
View Raw Podcast Feed
Download MP3 File
Follow the podcast on Facebook
patreon-30x30 Support us on Patreon

Show Details:

Recorded 2016-12-01
Length this week – 1:55:48

  • (0:00:10-0:21:20) But First
    • Agenda
    • MacBook Pros and huge iPads
    • Trackpads/mice/trackballs
    • Gestures
  • (0:22:29-0:47:37) Fake News
    • How it gets created and spreads
    • Engagement algorithms
    • Possible solutions?
  • (0:48:25-1:05:40) Trump Conflicts
    • Trump’s plan to minimize conflict
    • Trump International
    • Who can do anything?
    • Trump supporter regrets?
  • (1:06:59-1:28:42) Responding to Trump
    • How to respond to lies and crazy?
    • Outrage fatigue
    • Taking Trump’s phone?
    • Presidential alerts
    • Congressional strategy
  • (1:29:20-1:55:28) Lightning Round
    • Congressional earmarks
    • Fidel Castro died
    • Standing Rock
    • Columbia plane crash
    • Electoral College update
    • Daylight Saving Time
    • Syria

 

The Curmudgeon’s Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.

Our intro is “The Oh of Pleasure” (Amazon MP3 link)

Our outro is “Celestial Soda Pop” (Amazon MP3 link)

Both are from the album “Deep Breakfast” (iTunes link)

Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

Curmudgeon’s Corner: My Wonderful Foot

This week on the Curmudgeon’s Corner podcast Ivan and Sam’s big topics are the Presidential race, the goings on in Congress, and Ivan’s musings on tech while attending Oracle OpenWorld. That gets you everything from the Benghazi hearing to the appeal of Carson to Speaker Ryan, the Budget Deal, and even Twitter and Hadoop. But it all starts with a bit on San Fransisco, and Sam breaking his foot. Fun!

Click to listen or subscribe… then let us know your own thoughts!

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Recorded 2015-10-28

Length this week – 1:53:06

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
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Follow the podcast on Facebook

Show Details:

  • (0:00:10-0:25:41) But First
    • Agenda
    • San Fransisco
    • Sam broke his foot
  • (0:26:20-0:48:45) Election 2016
    • Future Sam on Republican Debate
    • Ivan touches things
    • Democratic Polls
    • Clinton Benghazi Hearing
    • Clinton turnaround
    • Clinton vs the Republicans
    • Trump losing… to Carson?
    • The appeal of Trump and Carson
    • Bush concentrating on Rubio
    • The other Republicans
  • (0:59:33-1:19:56) Congress
    • Speaker Ryan
    • Budget Deal
    • CISA Passes Senate
    • Politicians and Tech
    • One more Carson thing
  • (1:21:00-1:52:46) Tech Update
    • Oracle OpenWorld
    • What is Hadoop?
    • Rise of the cloud
    • Speed of Innovation
    • Tech Company Earnings
    • Apple
    • Twitter
    • Native Advertising
    • Taking Companies Private or non-Profit
    • Book: The Scarlet Plague

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Keep flipping the thing around

On this week’s Curmudgeon’s Corner podcast, Ivan joins Sam again to complain a bit about Cleveland and last week’s conversation about Volkswagen. Then the main topics for this week: Election 2016, the Speaker of the House, and Syria. To close it off, a lightning round talking about Breaking Bad, Star Wars, iPhones, that Raccoon story that has been going around, and more!

Click to listen or subscribe… then let us know your own thoughts!

CCCover20141121-bigheads-2
Recorded 2015-10-01

Length this week – 1:44:41

1-Click Subscribe in iTunes
View Podcast in iTunes
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Show Details:

  • (0:00:15-0:18:03) But First
    • Cleveland
    • Agenda
    • Ivan on Volkswagen
  • (0:18:41-0:50:33) Election 2016
    • Post Debate Republican Polls
    • Thinning the Field
    • Clinton Attitude
    • Biden Getting In?
    • Fundraising
    • Clinton Email
  • (0:51:37-1:10:48) Speaker of the House
    • Resignation
    • Republicans Divided
    • Kevin McCarthy Different?
    • Republican Agenda Hurt by Hardliners?
    • Congressional Gridlock
    • Government Shutdowns
  • (1:11:49-1:22:27) Syria
    • Russia jumping in
    • US Approaches
  • (1:23:43-1:44:21) Lightning Round
    • TV Show: Breaking Bad
    • Pope Visit
    • iOS 9
    • Ad Blockers
    • iPhones one handed
    • Movie: Return of the Jedi
    • Raccoon Story

Congressional Velocity (June 2015 Update)

Standard Into:

This is the latest in a series of quarterly posts on congressional legislative output. I started these in June 2013 in response to a flurry of commentary about how the 113th congress was lagging behind in output compared to previous congresses. Now, it is fundamentally debatable if passing fewer laws is a good thing, a bad thing, or just a completely meaningless number since of course the impact of laws varies widely. I’m guessing in reality, it is a pretty meaningless number.

But I noticed that in many of these debates, there was a lack of rigor in the ways these numbers were used. For instance, it seemed common to compare the current number of laws passed in the 113th, to the TOTAL passed in the 112th or 111th. Or maybe talking about the “pace” at which legislation was being passed as if there was an expectation that this would continue linearly. Never did I hear a comparison that actually looked specifically at where the previous congresses had been at the same point in the cycle. So I made one.

Now the new stuff:

The 114th congress is now past their first 100 days. Past 150 in fact. So lets check in on how they are doing at the whole making laws thing. Bottom line, they have produced more signed laws than either the 112th or 113th congresses at this point in the cycle, and they are actually not that far behind the 111th.

Here are the graphs:

Screen Shot 2015-06-09 at 03.08.36815

Screen Shot 2015-06-09 at 03.08.21461

Curmudgeon’s Corner: Please Don’t Sue Us

In the latest Curmudgeon’s Corner with Sam and Bruce:
* Vacations / Riding a Bike / Ads?
* Seymour Hersh on Bin Laden Raid
* Amtrak Crash
* Bush’s Bad Week / Reagan Lives!
* Lightning Round

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Recorded 2015-05-15

Length this week – 1:30:43

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Edit 2015-05-19 16:00 UTC to fix recorded date